Match Officials (Page 2)

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Yeovil Town will take on Gateshead on Bank Holiday Monday and the game will be officiated by Harry Wager.

No stranger to Yeovil games, we’ve seen him three times, most recently in April when he took charge of the National League tie at Eastleigh, where Otis Khan was sent off. 

No complaints from us regarding the decision, Mr Wager saw a flailing elbow and reacted accordingly.

We saw him twice in the National League South title winning campaign, he awarded a penalty (which Frank Nouble missed) in a 3-1 home win vs Dartford and was in charge for the 1-1 draw away at St Albans.

At time of writing, he’s not had a game in the National League yet this season.

Jack Clench will be clutching one flag, Andy Bennett the other whilst James Tewson has the subs board in hand.

Harry Wager sends off Otis Khan

Yeovil Town FC (First Team) v Gateshead FC (First Team)
National League – Premier   
Referee: Wager, Harry
Assistant Referee: Clench, Jack
Assistant Referee: Bennett, Andy
Fourth Official: Tewson, James

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Yeovil Town will be refereed by Mr Peter Wright on Saturday (not the darts player with the crazy hair, but how cool would that be?).
Interestingly, enough, we haven’t seen Mr Wright in the middle for a Glovers game for nearly six years, last taking charge of the Green and Whites in League Two back in 2019 – a 1-1 home draw with Colchester United.

He booked Omar Sowunmi for the Glovers and sent off the U’s ‘keeper, one Dillon Barnes.

In the aftermath of Jake Gray’s goal there was some shenanigans – not caught on camera – by the time he next came into shot, he was off!

In total, we’ve had Mr Wright four times, winning one (6-0 v Newport), losing one and drawing two.

So far this season, he’s only taken charge of one National League game; Wealdstone’s 2-1 win over Halifax, a game which saw seven yellows, one red and one penalty awarded.

Peter Wright will be assisted by Ryan Head and Robert Evans, Chay Hathway is the fourth official. 

Dillon Barnes is sent off by Peter Wright

Braintree Town FC (First Team) v Yeovil Town FC (First Team)
National League – Premier   
Referee: Wright, Peter
Assistant Referee: Head, Ryan
Assistant Referee: Evans, Robert
Fourth Official: Hathway, Chay

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Ref, Referee, Match Official

Yeovil Town welcome a familiar face back to Huish Park for officiating duties on Wednesday night.

The home game against Brackley Town will be managed by Matthew Russell, who, has taken charge of the Glovers no fewer than nine times.

It was meant to be ten times, he was listed as the man in the middle for the FA Trophy clash with W*ymouth last season, but was replaced before match day came round.

He’s refereed the Glovers nine times, including twice in 1-1 home draws with Altrincham, a 5-0 FA Cup win over Yate Town and a 6-1 defeat to Torquay… although, we can’t really put that one on him.

He’s booked 19 Yeovil players, awarded us two penalties and was even kind enough to send off Alty’s James Jones a couple of years ago (below)

This season, he’s already had a couple of EFL appointments, a 0-0 draw between MK Dons and Oldham and a 2-0 Wimbledon win over Lincoln. He sent off the Imps Adam Jackson in the first half.

David Nicholson and Mark Senior hold the flags and David Middleton is the fourth official.

Matthew Russell

Yeovil Town FC (First Team) v Brackley Town FC (First Team)
National League – Premier    
Referee: Russell, Matthew
Assistant Referee: Nicholson, David
Assistant Referee: Senior, Mark
Fourth Official: Middleton, David

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Yeovil Town will have their game against Forest Green Rovers managed by Andrew Humphries this Saturday.

According to Transfermarkt, he’s only refereed Yeovil once before, but it was in controversial circumstances.

Yeovil vs Barnet in December 2024, and the league’s Champions-elect were 2-1 up into the final minutes, and holding on for the result.

But, in the 97th minute, on loan defender Ed James was cleaned out in the box trying to scramble the ball home. The game was being covered live on DAZN and Aaron McClean thought it was a penalty, so did 3000 other people in the ground, so did everyone at home watching. Mr Humphries did not.

After the game, Mark Cooper said;

“Yeah, it is a penalty, [he] swipes his leg away. Josh Sims shoots, the keeper tips it onto the post, and then Ed James comes, goes to shoot, ducks inside and the lad just sweeps his leg away. 

We’re at home, in front of our home end, every week they’re given, we had four bookings, they had none.

Jarvis got absolutely pulled from pillar to post, no free kick given… he’s had three shirts on tonight, nothing.”

Even Dean Brennan said it was a penalty.

Anyway, we shall refrain from holding it against him, too much – honest.

He’s actually a very highly thought of official, who’s took charge of the League One clash between Mansfield and Doncaster last week,

He will be assisted by Daniel Flynn and Kevin Morris, whilst Harry Warner will have to keep messrs Cooper and Savage in check.

Referee Andrew Humphries has Morgan Williams to answer to at the final whistle.

Forest Green Rovers (First Team) v Yeovil Town FC (First Team)
National League – Premier    
Referee: Humphries, Andrew
Assistant Referee: Flynn, Daniel
Assistant Referee: Morris, Kevin
Fourth Official: Warner, Harry

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Referee, Rob Massey-Ellis,

The 2025/26 Enterprise National League campaign gets underway at Huish Park on Saturday and Yeovil vs. Hartlepool will be refereed by Rob Massey-Ellis.

Massey-Ellis is part of an officiating marriage with his wife, Sian also an official – now mainly in the VAR room, but formerly at international and Premier League level.

The Glovers don’t have a great record when Mr Massey-Ellis takes charge; four games, zero wins. But as an odd quirk, also zero losses.

Every time he’s managed our game, it’s ended in a draw!

That included two games last season, a 1-1 draw against Aldershot at Huish Park and a 1-1 draw away at Ebbsfleet.

He sent off ‘Fleet defender, Mustapha Olagunju on the hour, but the hosts held out to take a point.

He’s also in our system for a stalemate against Dover back in 2021, when Tom Knowles was KO’d by the goal mouth and he saw no reason to act.

James Hooper and Richard J Morris are his assistants, Ryan Saward is on dugout patrol.

Rob Massey-Ellis explains to Alex Bradley why he’s not going to send off Hulk Hogan for his body slam on Tom Knowles.

Yeovil Town FC (First Team) v Hartlepool United FC (First Team)
National League – Premier    
Referee: Massey-Ellis, Robert
Assistant Referee: Hooper, James
Assistant Referee: Morris, Richard J.
Fourth Official: Saward, Ryan

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Ref, Referee, Match Official

45 down, one to go.

Yeovil Town head to Aldershot Town on Monday for the final game of the season, and the referee for the occasion is Mr Niall Smith.

Smith has been the man in the middle just 13 times across the National League divisions this season, but has also been regularly holding subs boards up in the EFL too.

He’s dished out 55 yellows and just one red card this season, he’s also been fairly lenient on the spot kicks too, awarding just three – two of which came in the same game.

Yeovil have already had the pleasure of his company once last season, he marshalled the 1-0 away win over Taunton Town in the National League South, a single Frank Nouble goal the difference.

Jordan Young, Jake Wannell and Michael Smith all had their names taken, but he doesn’t even get a mention in our match report – which is usually, a good thing.

Niall Smith has Steven Plane flying down one side (geddit?) with Adam Wilson down the other. Charles Martland is the fourth official.

Niall Smith (left) leads out the teams as Taunton face Yeovil

Aldershot Town (First Team) v Yeovil Town FC (First Team)
National League – Premier    
Referee: Smith, Niall
Assistant Referee: Plane, Steven
Assistant Referee: Wilson, Adam
Fourth Official: Martland, Charles

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Yeovil Town host Sutton United this Saturday and the match represents a first National League appointment for our referee, Emily Heaslip.

That’s not to say she isn’t experienced, she’s vastly experienced and has refereed at the top level of the Women’s game in the WSL. She reffed the 2025 Women’s League Cup Final and led a trial of having referee’s wearing microphones in the WSL. 

She’s taken charge of 11 games in the National League regional divisions, all since the turn of the year. She’s dished out 24 yellow cards and two reds.

As you might have guessed this is the first time she’s officiated either Yeovil or Sutton. 

She will joined by Jack Clench and Daniel Flynn with Kevin Morris in charge of marshalling the dug outs. 

Yeovil Town FC (First Team) v Sutton United FC (First Team)
National League – Premier    
Referee: Heaslip, Emily
Assistant Referee: Clench, Jack
Assistant Referee: Flynn, Daniel
Fourth Official: Morris, Kevin

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Ref, Referee, Match Official

No sooner has the Easter Bunny come and gone, does the football get going on and the Glovers make the relatively short trip to Eastleigh for a Monday Afternoon clash.

I’d be willing to… Wager… that we’ll have a referee for that game, step forward Harry Wager. 

Mr Wager will be officiating just his third National League Premier game of the season, having been used predominantly across the North/South divisions.

He’s only been in the middle 13 times this season across the three leagues, 65 yellow cards, four reds and six penalties have followed him.

Most recently he took charge of Dagenham’s 3-1 defeat to Tamworth where he sent off Daggers’ Chris Francis, for what can only be described as an absolute shocker of a challenge, so fully justified.

Yeovil have seen him twice, both last season, the 3-1 win over Dartford which saw us lift the trophy (Frank Nouble missed the penalty that Mr Wager awarded us!)

He was also in charge for the 1-1 draw away at St Albans.

Nick Blogg and Stuart Kane are flagging up and down the line, Steven Hughes will be signalling the subs. 

Eastleigh FC (First Team) v Yeovil Town FC (First Team)
National League – Premier    
Referee: Wager, Harry
Assistant Referee: Blogg, Nick
Assistant Referee: Kane, Stuart
Fourth Official: Hughes, Steven

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Easter Weekend brings with it a double header of football and we begin on Good Friday with the visit of Forest Green Rovers, our referee for the game will be Declan Brown.

This will only be Mr Brown’s second appearance in the middle at this level having made his National League Premier debut last week when he took charge of Ebbsfleet’s 4-1 win over Sutton United. He booked two members of the away side, and that’s about it.

He’s mainly been used in the National League North this season, dishing out 53 yellows in 16 games and chucking in a couple of red ones for good measure.

Unsurprisingly, this also represents his first ever time taking charge of Yeovil or Forest Green.

As an aside, he has sent off for Yeovil defender Alfie Pond when taking charge of a Wolves U21s game earlier in the year.

He’ll be assisted by Justin Amey, David Pilling whilst Matthew Scholes looks after the dugouts.

Yeovil Town FC (First Team) v Forest Green Rovers (First Team)
National League – Premier    
Referee: Brown, Declan
Assistant Referee: Amey, Justin
Assistant Referee: Pilling, David
Fourth Official: Scholes, Matthew

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“…and as for the officials, with Rule One rattling around my head, probably up there with one of the worst performances I’ve seen from the officials ever, at times they were literally guessing. Just pointing flags in random directions and I know Mr Stephen Copeland was a late sub for the game as the man in the middle, but it’s not all about you mate, control the game, protect the players. “

Well, this one could get awkward.

I sure hope Mr Copeland didn’t read that, or at the very least take it to heart. 

Stephen Copeland will be the man in the middle for Yeovil Town’s home game against Oldham this weekend.

The above quote comes from Gloverscast Ben’s Five Conclusions from the 0-0 draw with Tamworth, where, if you recall, he sent off Morgan Williams for an ‘Orange card’ offence.

His performance for rest of the game clearly rubbed Ben up the wrong way. 

It was the fourth time we’d had Mr Copeland as a ref, the other three without much incident, including a 3-0 home win over Wrexham.

He’s also reffed Oldham four times, but not this season.

He’s been used across various competitions this campaign and as such only has ten National League games to his name.

But in those 10 games, he dished out 52 Yellow cards, five reds and NINE penalties. 

Not one to get on the wrong side of.

Mr Copeland will be assisted by Stuart Kane and Andrew Ellis, Phillip Eddie will be keeping tabs on the dugouts and getting in both ears from the gaffers.

Best behavior, lads.